By DAVID CHAPEK/Staff Writer
Brookshire’s 11th annual Fresh 15 event brought 4,500 racers to Tyler last Saturday morning. The race was sponsored by dozens of businesses, from a local construction company to an international cereal brand.
The Fresh 15 event, hosted every year since 2013 by the Tyler-based supermarket chain, consists of several different races including a 15K, a 5K and a 1K. Morgan Jones, Brookshire’s director of community involvement and communications — and, interestingly, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Patriot Talon — said that runners this year came from 25 states, plus Nepal and Kenya.
“We wanted to bring world class to the Fresh 15, and that’s exactly what we got,” Jones said. “This year has been fantastic.”
According to Jones, the goal of Fresh 15 has remained the same since she worked as an intern photographer for the very first race 11 years ago.
“Fresh 15 was started with the idea in mind of bringing wellness to our community,” she said, “along with showcasing all Tyler has to offer.”
To that end, event sponsors set up tents to showcase their businesses to the thousands of attendees. The sponsors included vendor partners like Kellogg’s as well as local businesses such as AVCO Roofing.
Sponsors aren’t the only group responsible for making Fresh 15 happen, though.
“It takes over 500 volunteers to put on this event,” said Ashleigh Endicott, the current race director, who has worked with the race since its inception. “It was a dream because we wanted to have health and wellness for our community and to give back.”
Along with many Brookshire’s employees, some of the volunteers came from the Tyler Police Department, the Tyler Fire Department, Christus EMS and UT Health EMS.
Several local public figures also came to show their support, including Salvation Army Commanding Officer Jeremy Walker and Brookshire Grocery Co.’s CEO Bradley Brookshire.
Smith County Judge Neal Franklin, another notable attendee, briefly spoke at the opening of the race, wishing the runners good luck and a “safe and healthy race,” while also thanking Brookshire’s for their contribution to the community.
“I think [what’s great about Brookshire’s] really boils down to the family factor,” Franklin said. “They treat their employees like family, and they treat their community and their customers like family, and we really appreciate it.”
According to Jones, Brookshire’s community service goes far beyond just providing an opportunity for running.
“Every dollar of runner registration goes to local charities,” she said. “This year we’re supporting 30 charities. We’re going to have over $100,000 to give to those charities this year.”
Endicott and Jones both confirmed that planning is already underway for next year, and they also suggested there is room for growth.
“With that 4,500 number, we’re going to be looking ahead to next year,” Jones said. “How can we potentially grow it?”
Similarly, Jennifer Dugie, who handles pre-race marketing and advertising, expressed her enthusiasm for continuing the work, even after her six years of contribution.
“It’s just a passion,” she said. “I love what we do. It’s just another way to give back to the community – and hang out with all of our friends.”
